Norton Internet Security 2007 - Lack of support policy [Archive]

View Full Version : Norton Internet Security 2007 - Lack of support policy

nksmfamjp

11-25-2006, 09:49 AM

I just thought you should know that this is how Symmantec is handling their issues when they post inaccurate information to the web in a paid user area. BTW. . .this issue is related to Adware.DollarRevenue.

Summary:
I expained an error in their review page.

They told me how bad:eek: this could be. (tried to scare me real bad!:p )

I said, can you help me.

They said, "yea for $40 or $70"

I said, your web page was in error.

They said, sorry about your luck.

I said customers have a choice and that this support should be free and was free in the past.

Then I offered to report this to their customers.

So I don't leave anything out, here is the exact transcript(I did bold the key areas so you wouldn't have to read it all),

"chat id : 1ed78946-253d-43ec-b435-a08da409249a
Problem : Adware.DollarRevenue - A scan finds this risk, but when I review it on your website, the technical details are wrong(for my PC) and the removal registry values are not there. What is happening?
Jackson > Hello Nathan P, my name is Jackson.
Jackson > Welcome to Symantec Virus & Spyware Solutions.

Is this the first time you are contacting us or do you have a Case Number?
Nathan P > First time.
Nathan P > Sorry about thedelay, the active X controls were installing.
Jackson > Is this your E-mail ID xxxxxxxxx@yahoo.com ?
Nathan P > Did you get my question from the previous page?
Nathan P > yes.
Jackson > Yes i got Nathan, but let me first create a case number for you.
Jackson > Is this your conatact no: xxx-xxx-xxxx ?
Nathan P > yes
Jackson > Please provide me the country you are connected from.
Nathan P > USA.
Jackson > Please let me know which Symantec product you have and its version.
Nathan P > I have Norton Internet security which I bought less than a week ago from the website. I can't find the version. Can you help?
Nathan P > 2007 model
Jackson > Please wait while I create a case number for you.
Jackson > Your Case Number is xxxxxxxxx . Please make a note of it for future reference.
Nathan P > Here is the serial number xxxxxxxxxx
Jackson > Nathan, i understand that your computer is infected with the adware Adware.DollarRevenue.
Jackson > Am i right?
Nathan P > Yes, Norton says so.
Jackson > This Adware can cause a lot of trouble in your computer because it has the capacity to download other Adware Viruses and in fact that is what it does.
Jackson > It might have added nasty entries in your system registry possibly infected your system files.
Jackson > So it has to be removed as soon as possible by a trained technician.
Nathan P > Yea, it might have. The trouble is that it does not follow the "review" page's model.
Jackson > Ok Nathan, you don't have to worry.
Jackson > We have well trained technicians here who can take remote access of your computer and dot it for you.
Jackson > I mean do it for you.
Nathan P > I'm as close to a trained technician as I have on hand. Since I built this PC for the second time now and have managed all my other software problems up to the point, I'm sure we can get tthis done.
Nathan P > How do I set up this remote connect?
Jackson > First, I would like to inform you that this is a paid consultation service. We have two support options that you can select from.
Jackson > Standard Consultation - This option is basically diagnostic support. In this option we would diagnose the issue on your computer and as a value added service we will provide you with a plan of action to remove the threat.
Jackson > The Consultation fee would be US $39.95.
Jackson > Premium Consultation – In this option our expert consultants will do a complete diagnosis of your system, and troubleshoot the malware on your computer. They can connect to your computer remotely and do all this for you directly.
Jackson > The Consultation fee would be US $69.95.
Jackson > Nathan, if you are technically sound then you can go the Standard support option.
Jackson > Otherwise it is better to choose the Premium support option.
Nathan P > So what you are telling me is that Norton no longer offer's support for issues with their software, included in the price?
Jackson > Nathan this is strictly a paid technical support.
Nathan P > Let me remind you that there are many anti-virus solutions to choose from as a customer, and now would be the right time to offer this for free. I have received this support for free from Norton in the past.
Jackson > I can understand your concern. Virus and Spyware Solutions is a value added service provided by Symantec. We have well-trained consultants who would put in their best efforts to resolve the issue. Being a specialized support queue, there is a charge for the consultation.
Nathan P > Let me also remind you that Norton sent me to a web page to review this issue which did not have correct data on it and that is why I am contacting support. Had it not been for Norton's failure to provide correct information on that page, I would be able to handle this without support. Norton makes the error, Norton pays. That is the way this works, not the other way around.
Jackson > Nathan this is the only support option we have here.
Jackson > Nathan, Is there anything else I can help you with?
Nathan P > yes, can you correctt that web page for this risk and update the software so that this issue is either not raised incorrecttly, or the web page content is correct?
Jackson > Sorry Nathan, our department does not deal with that. Our department only deals with Virus detection and removal and that is also a value added service.
Nathan P > Thank you. I will be sure to post these results to the web.
Jackson > If you need to contact us again please use the link below:
http://www.symantec.com/techsupp/home_homeoffice/index_virus.html

It has been pleasure assisting you. Thank you for using Symantec. Have a great day ahead.
Jackson > Analyst has closed chat and left the room"

glc

12-03-2006, 12:18 PM

I have edited your email address and phone number - this is not good posting those in an open forum.

Gotta toot my own horn a bit here - we are now a Grisoft partner and sell all the AVG products. If you buy AVG, you get free 24/7 email support, response times are under 4 hours. If you buy it from a partner instead of direct, the partner has a 800 number to call to get free live support (US based, they have an office in NJ), but the partner is allowed to charge for their time to obtain support for the customer. I think this is probably about as good as it gets these days.

faulkner132

12-03-2006, 01:01 PM

You might want to edit out the Serial Number as well.

glc

12-03-2006, 01:32 PM

Done, as well as editing out the case number.

I just can't figure out why people keep buying this garbage anyway. Norton and McCrappee are riding on their names these days, not the quality of the product or the quality of their support. Their corporate/enterprise products are still top quality but they are screwing consumers. Even Trend Micro's consumer offerings are starting to suffer from bloat and issues. The smaller companies such as Grisoft and Eset still respect the little guy.

newbuilder14

12-03-2006, 01:35 PM

Well, if AVG would at least install on my PC without giving me errors I would be using that, until I figure out what is wrong I will use McAfee. GLC, see here: http://forum.pcmech.com/showthread.php?t=170787

faulkner132

12-03-2006, 01:40 PM

I just can't figure out why people keep buying this garbage anyway. Norton and McCrappee are riding on their names these days
There is your answer.
Your average computer user hasn't heard of AVG and the alternatives, they just know their Dell/Compaq/HP came with Norton/McAfee so it is perceived to be the only option.

Cricket

12-03-2006, 01:41 PM

Well, if AVG would at least install on my PC without giving me errors I would be using that, until I figure out what is wrong I will use McAfee.McAfee? I thought you were using Avast?

:) Cricket

newbuilder14

12-03-2006, 01:48 PM

Avast was good but I didn't feel protected by it, so I went and got McAfee. Now with McAfee I have a firewall, virus scans, and warnings.

nksmfamjp

12-03-2006, 02:59 PM

Thank you for the edits to my original post. I thought I had scanned it, but obviously not. I guess having great moderators helps us folks who don't read things over well!

Norton had always served me well in the past, but I think that is done now. McAffee has brutally, scarred my system before, robbing it of basic windows elements in the name of keeping me safe. I actually had a 98 machine that would not function after McAffee fixed it. It literally crashed and failed to reboot 98. Nice fix, huh?

What is a good anti-virus, anti-spam, firewall software? Is Zonealarm stiil good?

Ob1

12-03-2006, 03:06 PM

if your running a hardware router/firewall then running winxp software firewall is sufficient.

grisoft AVG has a free anitvirus and antispyware product.
AVG
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/lng/us/tpl/v5

Spyware
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/20/lng/us/tpl/v5

Adaware
http://www.download.com/Ad-Aware-SE-Personal-Edition/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5
Spybot
http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html

toomyg

12-03-2006, 04:15 PM

faulkner132

12-03-2006, 04:30 PM

Ob1

12-03-2006, 04:36 PM

You know, you almost need 1 GB of RAM in any machine today because after you factor in Firewall (service or program), antivirus, and 62 different anti-spyware programs running in the background, there goes ~100 MB of RAM.

i agree, i recommend to all my clients to upgrade to at least 1gb of ram whether its a new system build or there existing machine.

faulkner132

12-03-2006, 05:24 PM

Another reason I love Ubuntu Linux as a home OS. You don't have to worry about these programs so those resources can be used for stuff you want to run. :)

glc

12-03-2006, 10:57 PM

2003 was the last decent Norton version that wasn't a bloated pig and didn't have compatibility and configuration issues. 2004 was terrible and I dropped Norton and haven't looked back.

toomyg

12-04-2006, 04:00 PM

I still use the norton system works that can with norton 2002 anti-virus!!!

Nortons windoctor has pulled me out of afew no no's afew times

glc

12-05-2006, 12:38 AM

I've also seen Windoctor create problems.

thefultonhow

12-05-2006, 02:29 AM

I just can't figure out why people keep buying this garbage anyway. Norton and McCrappee are riding on their names these days, not the quality of the product or the quality of their support. Their corporate/enterprise products are still top quality but they are screwing consumers.

Symantec's enterprise antivirus has actually had numerous security holes recently. If you want enterprise AV, I'd stick with McAfee -- 8.0 even has rudimentary anti-spyware functionality.

glc

12-05-2006, 04:11 AM

I actually prefer AVG for corporate/enterprise - it's just as good as the big names and it's cheaper.

rjfvillarosa

12-05-2006, 07:56 AM

I had to tell a little fib yesterday, having been a Symantec Partner for the last five years I have had to come up with all sorts of excuses on why I couldn't attend my local seminar and I had the dreaded phone call yesterday, the girl sounds so nice on the phone and telling her some story about being far too busy to attend always makes me feel bad, it's about time I wrote to them and resigned from the program, but it's just one of those things you forget.

Ob1

12-06-2006, 02:53 AM

i use the symantec corp edition 10 and have had good luck with it.

mojo

12-06-2006, 03:17 AM

Since I graduated and don't have free (well, ~$30,000 a year actually) access to Sophos anymore, I've been using Avast. It seems like it does real time scanning a bit better than AVG, and also seems to use less memory, about 20mb for all of its running services combined.

faulkner132

12-06-2006, 09:20 AM

i use the symantec corp edition 10 and have had good luck with it.
I second that. We use it at work and it is very unobtrusive.